Retired Philly cop rejoining Occupy protest after arrest

A retired Philadelphia Police Captain who became famous for wearing his uniform while getting arrested at the Occupy Wall Street protests will be back in town on Monday for Occupy Philadelphia's Free Speech rally on Independence Mall.

Jenkintown resident Nate Kleinman called Ray Lewis an inspiration.

"He's one of the heroes of the Occupy movement, certainly one of the most recognizable participants in the movement, and he really shows that the 99 percent includes all kinds of people," said Kleinman. "That there are so many people who recognize the injustice in today's system and people who are willing to step forward and have their voices heard."

Occupy Philadelphia volunteer Chris Goldstein said Lewis will stop by Occupy Philadelphia's Free Speech rally on Independence Mall as part of a day of actions targeting corporate media.

"Captain Lewis was arrested a few times up at Occupy Wall Street in New York and it made national headlines," said Goldstein. "So we're really happy to welcome him back to Philadelphia to participate in some local Occupy actions."

Goldstein said he can't comment on whether Lewis will wear his uniform to the event. He said right after Lewis' speech, the group plans to march from Independence Mall to the Comcast building.

A spokesman for the Philadelphia Police Department said if Lewis is wearing his old uniform when protesting in Philadelphia, police will consult with the District Attorney's Office and consider charging Lewis with impersonating an officer. The spokesman pointed out that there is a big difference between wearing the uniform in New York versus here because people on the street could mistake Lewis for a representative of the Philadelphia Police Department.

He's one of the heroes of the Occupy movement, certainly one of the most recognizable participants in the movement, and he really shows that the 99 percent includes all kinds of people.

Support provided by

Retired Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis, left, sits on the ground handcuffed after being arrested in New York near Wall Street during an Occupy Wall Street protest on Nov. 17. He is scheduled to address an Occupy Philly protest today. (AP Photo/Lauren Thorpe)

Your browser is out-of-date!

Some features of this website (and others) may not work correctly with Internet Explorer 8 and below. Click below and we'll show you your upgrade options (they're free). -your friends at NewsWorks. Update my browser now